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of 400 feet, variable, visibility two miles, light drizzle, light fog, temperature 32 degrees, dew point 31, wind NNE 5 m.p.h., barometer 30.20, scattered clouds at 200 feet.[1] First Officer DioGuardi stated that he had his receiver tuned to the company frequency and did not receive this report; however, Captain Scott had both of his receivers tuned to the St. Louis radio range. The evidence indicates that he was listening to the simultaneous range and voice broadcast and therefore it is presumed that he received this report.
The final stages of the flight are described in detail in the testimony of First Officer DioGuardi and of witnesses on the ground. The First Officer said, "We hit the range station at 3:04 [4:04 a.m CST][2] and Captain Scott ordered the gear down. He made the procedure turn and came over the cone again and the approach was one of the best I have ever seen with any Captain. We descended with reduced power to the airport from the range station and suddenly, of course, the neon approach lights started to show out as we descended from the overcast."[3] He estimated, but could not state definitely, that the altitude of the plane was approximately 300 feet above the ground when it broke out of the overcast. At this time he saw the neon lights. The flight broke out of the overcast at 4:12 a.m.
- ↑ In accordance with standards set forth in the Civil Air Regulations specific weather minimums are prescribed by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in weather letters of competency. The weather minimums for TWA at Lambert-St. Louis airport were on the date of the accident a 400-foot ceiling and one mile visibility.
- ↑ The cockpit clock was not changed from Mountain Time by the new crew that took over at Kansas City.
- ↑ The red neon approach lights extend in a straight line approximately 1,500 feet east of the eastern boundary of the airport. These lights assist the pilot in lining up for a landing on No. 1 runway.
